


Space

by fullmoonpill



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: #DrunkenKissesChallenge, Drunk kiss, DrunkenKissesChallenge, First Kiss, M/M, Post-Episode: s03e13 The Wrath of the Lamb, hannibal is sober and tolerant, i know this is super late, this is signifigantly over the suggested word count, will is confused and drunk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-07-16 20:46:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7284142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fullmoonpill/pseuds/fullmoonpill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which after the fall Will has a lot of feelings and doesn't know what to do with them. So he drinks.<br/>Written for #Drunkenkisseschallenge - albeit super late and way over the suggested word count.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Space

Will had to admit, the plan was pretty half baked in the first place.  
If you could even call it a plan. That’s what he called it in his head as he left the dingy store, amber liquid swishing in the cheap whiskey he had indulged in. When Will grabbed the bottle he had managed to half convince himself that he wouldn’t even touch the bottle. He would just have it in a back cabinet as a backup. A security blanket, for when Hannibal’s expensive wines that resembled blood more often than not threatened his low crest of calm.  
It had been a stifling several months for the two of them. The healing alone took a couple months, leaving Will and Hannibal with gnarled white scars that throbbed and itched in the humidity of their Argentinian home. Although Will was thankful for the warm air that sometimes smelled like Louisiana, he could have done without the language barrier. Sometimes, when they were perusing the street stalls, Hannibal navigating the tangling rows of fruit and spice, he thought maybe the cannibal had done it on purpose. It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to see Hannibal wanting to isolate him further now that he had Will all to himself.  
And that was a whole other can of beans that Will had carefully sidestepped. After the fall, after the ocean rushing up to meet him, after red waves covering his head and the salt burning his eyes, after Hannibal’s arm wrapping around his chest and moving up, up, up- he could see the tightness in Hannibal’s eyes. The tension that seemed to only get worse after Chiyoh left the boat and travel destinations were determined. There were occasional mornings where the sounds of breakfast in the kitchen would wake him up and Will would respond by burying himself further under his sheets until the sounds dispelled. There was something unbearably intimate and domestic about Hannibal cooking him breakfast, them enjoying it in their pajamas on the mosaic tile table, the dogs snuffling at their feet for a bite. It’s not like he was avoiding Hannibal. True, most of his day was spent carefully curating a distance between them and dodging the cannibal’s presence. But It was impossible to avoid his only company in the foreign country. Sometimes it felt like the strain between them was suffocating Will.  
This morning had been one such morning. Will had successfully hidden for long enough to avoid the quiet breakfast, dragging himself out of the shower and listening carefully to make sure Hannibal had abandoned the kitchen. He had attempted before to forego breakfast completely and had been met with quite the resistance from the cannibal. The twenty minute lecture on taking care of his body and not allowing his healing to fall by the wayside had been enough for one lifetime.  
Will entered the kitchen to find Hannibal leaning against kitchen island, silently rolling what seemed to be dough between his fingers on the counter.  
“Good morning, Will.” He said without looking up. Will edged silently into the room, greeting the three furry heads that pushed at his hands.  
“Good morning.” Will responded carefully. It seemed Hannibal had caught on to his avoidance of the mornings between them. He drummed his fingers anxiously on the edge of the counter.  
Hannibal glanced up at his finger drumming. “Please, don’t let me interrupt your breakfast. I am just preparing the shell for our Quiche Au Fromage.”  
So this was his response to the careful avoidance. Will felt an inexplicable anger fill him. It was petty of Hannibal, but how could he expect anything less from him? Blocking off the food from Will to ensure they would be forced to be in the same room. Will let his fingers clench against the cold stone.  
“You know,” Will started, his voice making a harsher sound then he expected. Hannibal paused in his work. “I think I’ll just go to the store and get something.” They both new “the store” was in reference to small grocery half a mile from their home that served more as a convenience store than a place capable of serving anything substantial. Will turned sharply and nudged through the dogs that nervously moved around him, sensing the anger. Will felt Hannibal’s eyes boring into his back as he slammed through the door.  
At the time, Will’s anger had felt righteous. As he left the shop, the glass bottle heavy in the paper bag that but into his hand, he felt petty. Such a small inconvenience shouldn’t have left such a swirl of emotions in his chest. The tension between them had seemed to amplify every feeling and left Will’s chest heavy and tight. As his feet fell against the dusty road home, he felt nerves play against his throat as he thought of facing Hannibal after his tantrum. The bag felt heavier and heavier as he inched towards the house.  
Will carefully opened the door, the dogs already bustling and yipping to celebrate his return. There was no hope for avoiding Hannibal now. He sighed and patted the furry heads as he walked the hall towards the fated kitchen. He entered, anticipating a pointed disappointed look from Hannibal for his purchase, but found it empty. The flour and dough from the island was gone. He scoped the room, but Hannibal was nowhere to be found. Will suspiciously glanced around the corner into the living room. It was empty. As he searched the house he found that he was alone. He saw the coffee maker had been turned off and the dog’s water and food refilled recently. It seemed Hannibal had left of his own free will.  
Both relieved and feeling a new anxiety bloom in his chest Will sat heavily on the couch in the living room. The dogs flooded around his feet and he absentmindedly patted them. The bottle was still gripped in his hand. Why would Hannibal leave? Was he really indulging Will’s temper tantrum and giving him space? Before the fall, Will would have immediately disregarded the idea. But since their recovery and leaving the country, Hannibal had been surprisingly lenient with Will’s moods. If Will hadn’t known better, he would say Hannibal had almost been kind.  
The dogs shuffled away from their owner, sending his distraction. Will stared out the large window covering most of the room’s wall, considering his day. He got what he wanted, in the end. He was alone. He had time to think. But the tension in his chest had not dissipated with Hannibal’s absence. In fact, it had seemed to grow. Will hummed as his hand seemed to move on his own, uncapping the whiskey bottle. His stare remained out the window as he lifted the bottle to his lips, parting to allow the burn down his throat. He finally tore his eyes to what he was doing as he coughed a bit; it had been too long since he had more than just the glass of wine with dinner. He gave a long look at the bottle, as if it could tell him why he was doing this on his apparent day of freedom.  
The bottle didn’t answer.  
He took another long drink.  
\-----------------------------------  
Will recognized that he had in fact drank his entire day away. He had fallen asleep sometime after 11am, more than half the bottle gone. When he woke again at 2:30pm and found no one to interrupt his binge he finished the bottle and started on the brown liquid inside one of the decanters in the cabinet; it felt expensive and slightly dangerous as he finished it off. He was well a thoroughly wasted by the time he had decided to attack the expensive vodka in the cabinet. He had formed a ring of empty bottles and glasses around the couch when he heard the dogs start yipping and the front door push open. He lulled his head the side as the room swirled around his splayed figure.  
“Will?” He heard the accent float above his head and he attempted to move his eyes to the source. Hannibal’s concerned face locked onto Will’s focus.  
“Where’d yah….heya…” Will slurred, attempting to focus his train of thought. He attempted to move his arms in a way to right his slumped body, but they gave out immediately and fell even farther into the couch. He felt more than saw Hannibal jump forward to slip his hands onto his shoulders.  
“Will? Are you alright?” Hannibal asked, his voice closer now and easier to focus on. Will felt himself lean into the touch of Hannibal attempting to right him within his seat on the couch. The bottles and glasses clinked at Hannibal’s kneeling figure.  
“Yah know, I thin’ I might be…. A lil’ drunk.” Will smiled crookedly as he pushed himself more into Hannibal’s arms, his face pressing against the expensive button up. Will felt the chest he leaned against expand with a sigh as Hannibal reluctantly wrapped his arms fully around Will’s shoulders.  
“Yes, I think you are.” Came the accented rumble. Will closed his eyes to the sound as the spinning of the room got too much. He felt Hannibal’s hand gently pet his curls and Will leaned into him happily. He felt like a comforting wall to Will’s drunken state, an isolation from the overwhelming twirling of the room. Why had he been so angry at Hannibal earlier? He had cleansed the bitter resentment from his throat hours ago. All that was left was relief at Hannibal’s return and comfort in the fleeting contact they had now.  
“I think it would be best if we got you to bed, now.” Hannibal murmured against the top of Will’s head. Will felt the gentle warmth of the wall move away from him and he whined. Hannibal shushed him as he carefully extracted himself from the alcohol soaked man, standing carefully. The movement tipped Will forward in his seat, but Hannibal caught his hands. The waning light coming through the large window seemed all at once too much and Will whined again.  
“Hush dear, now up.” Hannibal coaxed as he carefully pulled on Will’s arms, encouraging him to stand up. Will went through the motions and immediately felt his knees buckle. Hannibal’s arms moved to his elbows as he helped steady him. Will felt his stomach turn at the sudden movement, shutting his eyes to fight the oncoming wave of nausea.  
Hannibal stood patiently with his arms around Will, waiting for him to get his bearings. “Where’d yah…” Will started, trying to capture his thought from before he had attempted to move. “Where’d yah go earlier?”  
Hannibal took his attempt at speaking as a sign he was ready to start their journey again and gently steered them to the kitchen, towards Will’s room. “I thought you would appreciate some space.” Hannibal evaded as he guided them across the tiles. Will more or less got the movement of walking down, but none of the strength seemed to be behind it. He leaned heavily into Hannibal’s side. Will felt recognition on the word “space” and tried to continue speaking between shuffles across the floor. “Not…not tha’ much space.” Will murmured against the doctors chest as they managed to Will’s bedroom. Hannibal carefully eased will so that his back was slumped against the headboard. Will closed his eyes against the spinning room and felt Hannibal carefully remove Will’s shoes. Will opened his eyes as the touch left him. “Wai…Wait. Dun go.” He managed as he saw Hannibal in the doorway. The doctor turned back and smiled reassuringly. “I’m only getting you some water, Will. I will be back shortly.” Comforted, Will managed a smile back and shut his eyes again, fighting the dizziness surround his senses. He opened them again when Hannibal gently out a water bottle and a full glass of water against the bed side table, as well as some aspirin.  
“Now, Will. I’d like you to drink some water if you can.” Hannibal said sternly as he held the glass in his hand. Will hesitantly reached for the glass, and glancing at Hannibal, drank it all. When Hannibal smiled approvingly Will nestled farther against the headboard.  
“Yah dint…You dint have ta go away yah know.” Will mumbled. He wasn’t sure if he meant when Hannibal got water or to early this morning.  
Hannibal hardened a bit, retracted a few inches away from Will’s side where he was leaning. Will immediately leapt forward and grabbed Hannibal’s shoulders to prevent anymore motion. “I mean. I mean I like. Your company.” Will started. Hannibal didn’t make eye contact and blew air through his nose. “It’s just.” Will sighed, trying to grasp the words in his swirling skull.  
“It’s just there’s so much of you. Everywhere.” Will mumbled, his arms on Hannibal’s shoulders relaxing. Hannibal stayed put. “And it feels so tight. In my chest.” Will confessed as he slumped against the headboard. He knew there was something he else he needed to say, something to make what he was saying make sense. “Its naht like before. Before the dragon.” Will finished lamely, as he lolled his head to the side. Hannibal was staring intently at him now, and gently moved a hand to Will’s shoulder.  
“Will.” Hannibal said softly and Will turned his head back to him. The normally closeted brown eyes he met were softened and gentle. Will had a fleeting hope that he would remember this look in the morning. Hannibal’s neck moved carefully to Will’s neck, his thumb moving across his jaw. “My dear Will.” Hannibal murmured affectionately.  
Will blinked dumbly as the hand moved to his cheek. Will could only think of how many times he had imagined these events, when Hannibal’s hand rested to long on his shoulder, when they would gently nudge each other as they passed in the hall. For so many months Will had felt the tension between them gaining, he had never imagined that a simple touch like the hand on his cheek would do so much to ease it.  
Will’s brain caught up to him as his forehead met Hannibal’s and he realized he was leaning forward. He felt Hannibal’s breathe press against his face and thought of all the absent kindness Hannibal had given him. The dog’s that the doctor allowed in their home. The careful trips to a real butcher that Hannibal always brought Will along to. The space that Hannibal was always willing to provide.  
On the word “space” echoing in his brain, Will closed the gap between them. He felt a roaring in his brain as he felt Hannibal’s hand on his curls again, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. Will gasped as He felt Hannibal’s tongue against his lower lip. Hannibal leaned away, his breath still splaying across Will’s face. Will opened his eyes and met Hannibal’s warm brown ones. “Oh.” Will laughed a bit, relief curving his mouth into a smile. Hannibal returned his smile and captured his lips again. Will moaned softly as they pulled away again for air. Will felt dizzy as Hannibal pulled away. “Wait…” He murmured as the doctor moved away from the bed. He heard Hannibal chuckle as the doctor stood. “Go to sleep, mylimasis.” Hannibal said gently as he leaned to run a hand through Will’s curls. “I will be here in the morning.” Comforted, Will slumped more to lay in the bed. He felt sleep linger at the edges as the doctor leaned down and kissed Will on the forehead. Will fell asleep with the promise of less space between them.

**Author's Note:**

> Um. So this is my first fic. I'm not sure how I feel about it, please please leave comments! I would love some feedback!


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